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Friday, October 22, 2010

Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While I carry no lantern, my quest for the world's best peanut butter cookie has kept me searching with a determination that rivals that of the old cynic who went looking for an honest man. I have a taste memory, and while I've been looking for years, I've yet to duplicate it. Mine is not a loving or romantic tale. The cookie I remember was served in the cafeteria of a school I attended as a child. It had an intense peanut flavor and was so dense and crisp that it held its shape when dunked into a glass of milk. This year, I thought I'd use a different approach and decided to try a soft and chewy cookie that received rave reviews at allrecipes.com. I made a few minor changes to the recipe I found there. I added a cup of coarsely chopped salted peanuts to the ingredient list and replaced the mix of light and dark sugars with my current favorite, golden brown. Before I go any further, I must tell you that these cookies are delicious. I must also tell you I'm still looking for the cookie that will put my memories to rest. I encountered one issue as I made these that I want to share with you. I had to chill the cookie dough before it could be rolled into balls. This may have to do with the way in which flour is measured. I fluff and scoop and may have used less flour than someone using a different technique. At any rate, the dough was workable after being chilled and made exactly 3 dozen cookies. If you like your peanut butter cookies on the soft and chewy side, give this recipe a try. You won't regret it. Here's the recipe.

Directions:1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.2) In a large bowl, cream together peanut butter, butter, and golden brown sugar until well blended. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla one at a time. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into creamed mixture. Fold chopped nuts into dough. Chill dough if necessary to roll. Roll tablespoonfuls of dough into balls. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Press each ball once with fork tines.3) Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are lightly browned. Let sit for 2 minutes on cookie sheet. Remove and cool on wire racks. Yield: 36 cookies.

Oh, these look very yummy! And I love your school story. Isn't it true that some of our best food memories are from our days as children, then when we grow up, we can never experience it again. I can even SMELL my favorite foods from when I was 9, and I've never tasted tham since.

Mary, your quest is admirable. But, if I may add, I do believe the tastes of childhood are diminished in adulthood. The atmosphere that a cookie is eaten as a child, baked by mom, or a school cafeteria cook, the unleashed happiness of a child, the under-developed taste buds...you get the picture. I have gone back to recipes I loved as a child, especially baked goods, and they are just not the same.

Peanut butter cookies are my absolute favorite kind of cookie. I usually use the recipe from my Betty Crocker cookbook, and they are good. But I'm definitely going to try your recipe. I am a huge fan of chewy cookies.

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